Sleigh attachment for bicycles



(No Model.) A

P. P. TUCKER. SLEIGE ATTACHMENT PGR- BIGYGLES.

No. 576,512. Patented Peb. 2, 1897.

Fi g1,

UNTTED STATES PERRY F.

PATENT OFFICE,

TUCKER, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK.

SLEIGH ATTACHMENT FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 576,512, datedFebruary 2, 1897.

Application tiled March 21,1896 Serial No, 584,216. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PERRY F. TUCKER, of Geneva, in the county of Ontarioand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Bicycle Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and tothe reference-letters marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide an attachment forcycles, more particularly bicycles, whereby they may be ridden overrough, frozen, or soft snow or uneven iceA and the unpleasant jarusually incident to the use of such contrivances and the labor requiredto propel the bicycle are decreased to a minimum, and the attachmentovercomes the difculty heretofore existing of riding on a single-trackroad where a ridge of unpacked snow remains in the center of the track,leaving a broken path on either side; and to these and other ends theinvention consists in the hereinafter-described device adapted to beapplied to an ordinary bicycle-frame by an unskilled person, and,further, in the several constructions and combinations of parts, all aswill be hereinafter described, and the novel features pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specilication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation showing myattachment applied to a bicycle-frame of the ordinary or any preferredconstruction; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view taken on the line :r a;of Fig. l Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view of the lower part of theattachment; Fig. 4, a crosssectional view on the line y y of Fig. l.

Similar reference-letters in the several figures indicate similar parts.

My attachment is adapted for application to any of the ordinary forms ofbicycle-frames, the rear portion of such a frame being shown in theaccompanying drawings, A A indicating the rear forks, connected, asusual, at their rear ends, the connecting portion being provided withthe slot a for the accommodation of the rear axle.

The attachment constituting my invention embodies generally a shoe orsupport adapted to run upon snow or ice and connected to the rear of thebicycle-frame, a spurred drivingwheel having an elastic connection withsaid frame or shoe and adapted to be driven by a suitable sprocket-chainfrom an ordinary sprocket-wheel O, mounted upon the bicycleframe.

The frame of the attachment in the present instance embodies generallytwo brackets or forgings D, adapted to be secured by bolts D to the rearfork of the bicycle-frame, the heads of said bolts being countersunk inthe inner sides of the brackets and projecting through the slots a inthe rear fork of the bicycle, to which they are secured by nuts D2 inthesame manner that the rear axle of a bicycle wheel is ordinarily secured.The outer portions of the bolts D2 are iiattened and shouldered, asusual, where their ends pass through the fork of the bicycle-frame toprevent turning therein, but the parts passing through the brackets Dare round, so that said brackets may turn on theln and permit the frameof the attachment to tilt slightly and accommodate itself toinequalities in the snow or ice. Washers d are also provided to preventbinding between the brackets and fork. Extending from the lower side ofthe brackets D are the bifurcated braces or supports E, connected bysuitable fastenin gs with the supporting shoe or runner F, adapted torun on the ice and to support the rear of the bicycle. In the presentconstruction this shoe or runner is preferably composed of sheet metalhaving its forward end curved slightly upward, and is provided with acentral aperture F' for the passage of the lower portion of the spurreddriving-wheel G. The runner is also formed with a longitudinal groove orrecess in its under side for the reception of a removable rib or shoeF2, preferably concave on the under side to obtain a firm hold upon iceor snow and prevent slipping sidewise, said rib being held in positionby screws e or other suitable fastenings. If desired, ribs F2 of othershapes than that shown could be employed, but I find that this oneanswers all purposes.

It will be understood that the removable rib or shoe E2 is substantiallyin line rwith the central aperture in the main runner, and is of coursemade in two sections, the forward end of the section in rear of theaperture being curved upward slightly, as shown particularly in Fig. 3,to permit'its easy movement over the snow or ice and preventing itscatching.

Connected to the forgings or brackets D is IOO a vertical frame II,composed of a tube, the under side of the upper portion being cut away,as shown, and the tubular standards serving as bearings or guides forthe fork J, in which the driving-wheel G is mounted. The fork J ispreferably composed of the vertical rods sliding in the tubular bearingsand the connecting bridge or yoke J at the top, between which latter andthe transverse portion or cross-piece of the frame II is arranged aspring H', the tension of said spring being capable of adjustment by athumb-screw h, passing through said cross-piece and engaging a washer h2on the top of the spring, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower ends of the fork.I are provided with eyes for the accommodation of the ends of the axleG of the wheel, which is secured, as usual, by nuts G3, suitableball-bearings being arranged between the wheel and axle, as usual. Thehub of the drivin g-wheel G is provided with a sprocketwheel G2,arranged to be connected, when the attachment is in use, by a`sprocket-chain C with the corresponding sprocket C on the crank-shaftC2 on the bicycle-frame, and the rim of the wheel G is provided withteeth or spurs G4 for engaging the snow or ice.`

The attachment may be applied to an ordinary bicycle-frame, when desiredto ride upon ice or snow, by first removing the rear wheel of thebicycle from the frame, disconnecting the driving` sprocket-chain byslipping it oit the small sprocket on said wheel or otherwise. The chainis then passed around th'e sprocketwheel G2 either by disconnecting theend of the axle G from the fork J and connecting it again or otherwise,and the brackets D are then attached by the bolts D and nuts D2 in theslot a in the bicycle-frame, the chain being tightened by the usualscrews ax, or other means may be employed for the purpose.

In using a bicycle provided with my attachment the tension of the springI-I is preferably adjusted by the screw h, so that the periphery of thewheel G will project below the runner or shoe F, the weight of the riderbeing supported upon the shoe rigidly attached to the bicycle-frame, thespring holding the wheel G down in proportion to the adjustment giventhe spring 1-1.

This attachment is very cheap and simple in construction and can beapplied to an ordinary bicycle by an unskilled person, therebypermitting the use of the machine on snow or on ice, and the front orsteering wheel of the machine can be retained in position, or a shoe orrunner could be substituted therefor, if desired.

The arrangement of the fork J, carrying the wheel in the tubular frameor support H, gives me a long bearing for said fork and permits theready adjustment of the spring by means of a single screw. Of course anyother suitable shape could be given to the under side of the removablerib or shoe F2 instead of concaving it, as shown, but I prefer this formbecause, as it projects below the bottom of the runner F, the attachmentis well adapted for use either on soft snow or ice, the main runnerbeing broad enough to prevent sinking too deeply in the snow and the ribor shoe having the sharp edges and preventing lateral slipping on ice.

I claim as my inventionl. In a cycle attachment, the combination withthe frame having the ruimer and adapted for attachment to the fork of acycle, of the spurred driving-wheel., the fork in which said wheel ismounted, and a spring connection between said wheel and runner-frame,substantially as described.

2. In a cycle attachment, the combination with the frame having therunner, means for connecting it to the fork of a cycle, and the tubularframe on the runner-frame, of the spurred driving-wheel having the forkoperating in the tubular frame, and the spring arranged between saidfork and the tubular frame, substantially as described.

3. In a cycle attachment, the combination with the frame having therunner, the bolts connecting it to a cycle-frame, and upon which it ispivoted, of the spurred drivingwheel, the fork carrying the wheel, andan adjustable spring connection between the runner-frame and fork,substantially as described. 1

4. In an attachment for cycles, the combination of the brackets adaptedfor attachment. to a cycle-fork, the standards, and the runner securedto their lower ends, the vertical tubular frame, the fork movabletherein, the spring between the fork and frame and the driving-wheeljournaled in the fork and having the sprocket-wheel thereon,substantially as described.

5. The combination with a cycle frame having a fork, a drivingsprocket-wheel thereon, and a sprocket-chain, of a frame pivoted to thefork of the cycle, having a runner, a spurred driving wheel having adrivingsprocket, and a spring connection between said driving-wheel andthe frame in which it is mounted, substantially as described.

6. In a cycle-attachment, the combination with the runner having therecess in its under side, and the removable shoe or :rib securedtherein, substantially as described.

7. In a cycle attachment, the combinationwith the runner formed of sheetmaterial with the recess in its under side, of the rib or shoe removablysecured in said recess1 substantially as described.

8. The combination with the frame having the slotted runner, of thedriving-wheel operating in the slot and having the spurs and thesprocket-wheel, the 'fork in which said driving-wheel is mounted, thetubular supports for the fork, and the spring between the fork andframe, substantially as described.

PERRY F. TUCKER.

Witnesses:

GEO. WHITE, THos. H. SWEENEY.

TIO

